President Donald Trump has officially terminated the taxpayer-funded security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the prominent health official and public face of the COVID-19 response. This decision comes as Fauci, who initially received security protection in 2020 due to threats stemming from his high-profile role during the pandemic, continues to face scrutiny.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) had initially requested Fauci’s security protection, which was granted during the height of the pandemic, according to a Fox News report. However, this latest development marks yet another flashpoint in Trump’s ongoing critiques of Fauci and other prominent officials associated with his administration’s handling of public health and intelligence matters.
Trump’s Broader Actions Against Controversial Figures
This move follows Trump’s earlier decision to revoke the security clearances of 51 intelligence officials who falsely claimed Hunter Biden’s laptop bore “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” Among those affected were former CIA Director Mike Pompeo and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
Dr. Fauci, however, has remained in the headlines for multiple reasons since Trump’s return to the presidency on January 20. His termination from receiving security detail coincides with legal and political controversies involving other high-profile figures.
Biden’s Last-Minute Pardons Add to the Drama
In an unprecedented move during his final days in office, outgoing President Joe Biden issued a series of last-minute pardons. Among the recipients were Dr. Fauci and former Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who co-chaired the controversial Jan. 6 Committee.
Biden aides described the pardons as a protective measure to shield these figures from potential acts of political retribution by Trump’s administration. However, legal experts quickly pointed out significant limitations of these pardons.
Federal litigation attorney Jesse Binnall, a former Trump lawyer, noted that Biden’s pardons do not exempt the recipients from testifying under oath if subpoenaed. Furthermore, they would still face legal consequences if found guilty of perjury.
“The pardons are actually great news. No one who was just pardoned will be able to refuse to testify in a civil, criminal, or congressional proceeding based upon the 5th Amendment,” Binnall wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He went on to criticize the bias in Washington, D.C. courts:
“And let’s just be realistic. Most of these disgusting individuals would probably have to be charged in Washington, DC, which doesn’t convict partisan leftists.”
Calls to Shift Legal Proceedings Outside Washington, D.C.
Kurt Schlichter, a retired U.S. Army officer and lawyer, proposed moving depositions and trials outside the D.C. area to avoid perceived liberal bias:
“This is key – the depositions and the actual testimony must take place outside of Washington DC. Washington DC is a biased venue that will not convict Democrats when they commit perjury. Accordingly, take this show on the road.”
Milley, Jan. 6 Committee Members Among Pardon Recipients
Other controversial figures pardoned by Biden include former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and Army Gen. Mark Milley, who had criticized Trump during his first term. Milley faced scrutiny for allegedly contacting his Chinese counterpart during the waning days of Trump’s presidency to assure him of advance warning in case of a U.S. attack.
Trump criticized Milley, Cheney, and others while signing executive orders in the Oval Office earlier this week:
“I was going to talk about the things that Joe did today with the pardons of people that were very, very guilty of very bad crimes, like the unselect committee of political folks,” Trump said, referring to the Jan. 6 panel.
He further lashed out at Cheney:
“Why are we doing this? Why are we trying to help a guy like Milley? Why are we helping Liz Cheney? I mean, Liz Cheney is a disaster. She’s a crying lunatic.”
Legal Experts Weigh in on Pardon Limitations
Former Arizona state legislature candidate Josh Barnett explained on X that presidential pardons do not grant blanket immunity for all potential crimes:
“A pardon typically grants forgiveness for a specific offense or set of offenses committed before the pardon was issued. However, if someone is found guilty of treason after receiving a pardon for previous crimes, the pardon does not extend to this new offense.”
Barnett’s comments appear to reference Milley, who has faced accusations of treason for his alleged communications with China during Trump’s final days in office.
He added, “A pardon only covers the crimes explicitly mentioned or implicitly understood to be covered by the pardon at the time it was granted. If the treason was committed or discovered after the pardon, it would not be protected by that pardon.”
Conclusion
The termination of Dr. Fauci’s security detail by President Trump and the backlash against Biden’s last-minute pardons illustrate the heightened tensions between political factions in Washington. Trump’s bold actions, including his critique of figures like Fauci, Cheney, and Milley, reflect his administration’s commitment to reshaping government accountability.
As Trump continues to assert his influence in his second term, these events signal that political and legal battles will remain front and center in the months ahead. From pardons to subpoenas, the unfolding drama is sure to captivate both political observers and the American public.